This Heritage Foundation event in New York City brings Jordan Peterson together with Genevieve Wood for a conversation about a puzzle: why do socialist ideas hold such appeal for so many young people in America today? Peterson, the Canadian psychologist and author, does not answer with slogans. He looks at what young people are actually searching for, a sense of purpose, fairness and belonging, and at why socialism’s promise of equality and care can seem more human than the language of markets and competition.
The discussion turns on a counterweight Peterson returns to again and again: personal responsibility. For Peterson, meaning is not found mainly in changing the system, but in taking responsibility for one’s own life, telling the truth, and building competence and character. The interview explores why that message, which can sound demanding or even harsh, is itself appealing to a large number of young people, and why communicating it well matters as much as the message itself.
Jordan Peterson spoke at a Heritage Foundation event in New York City. He discusses with Genevieve Wood reasons for the apparently increasing attractiveness of socialist ideas in America and the (countervailing) importance and meaningful of personal responsibility, as well as considering why communicating that import appears to be appealing to such a large number of people.You can also listen to the interview on The Heritage Events Podcast (http://bit.ly/2UQokcM). And, you can read what Heritage president Kay Coles James has to say to the younger generation about socialism here: https://herit.ag/2GxxbXc